But this writer had to let his American Auto Racing Writers and
Broadcasters Association All-America Team ballot go with no more time
to consider the two drag racers for whom I would vote.

We'll let you see our other selections -- in Open Wheel, Stock
Car, Road Racing Short Track, Touring Series and At Large
so you can also agree or disagree with those, but to drag racing:

The nod here went to Tony Schumacher and John Force, one and
two respectively.

How in the world can you not pick the guy who wins the top
of the line class in the premier drag racing sanctioning body in the
world?

True, Clay Millican has been the most dominant IHRA Top Fuel
driver the past four seasons, winning his fourth straight championship
in the season just completed.

But, excuse me. The key words there are IHRA. Millican some time
back challenged Don "The Snake" Prudhomme and Larry Dixon to a
match race of the Top Fuel champions of the two sanctioning bodies.

I vividly remember no-nonsense Snake's response:

"Just tell him to come over and run with us."

It's not quite that easy, I guess, to leave Greg Anderson and Pro
Stock Rookie of the Year Jason Line off that very limited ballot of two
for the overall honor.

But, let's face it, and this is no slam at them, Warren Johnson,
Bob Glidden (who'll be inducted into the IMHOF Hall of Fame next
April), or any other Pro Stocker. But when NHRA lists its three major
categories, it's 1. Top Fuel, 2. Funny Car and three Pro Stock.

I've even heard one writer, in discussing the difference, referring to
Pro Stock as the Triple-A in the scheme of things. That's not to detract from
Anderson and Line. They worked and raced just as hard for their honors
as did Schumacher and Force, or even Gary Scelzi, and our congratulations
also go out to them, but probably until AARWBA decides to vote for
"three" in each category, they'll have to be content with Pro Stock honors.

Yeah, we mentioned Scelzi, the Funny Car pilot who had his best
season in the floppers since moving from Top Fuel. He finished third in the
points, driving for -- guess who-- Don Schumacher, who also fields Tony's
car.

Would you replace either Tony or John with Gary? This writer
didn't.

Now to those other votes: Open Wheel: Sebastien Bourdais
and Bruno Junqueira; Stock Car: Kurt Busch and Jeff Gordon; Road
Racing: Ron Fellows and Tommy Kendall; Short Track: Steve Kinser
and Danny Lasoki, Touring Series (probably a catch all for the NASCAR
Craftsman Trucks and Busch Series) so we voted accordingly: Bobby
Hamilton and Martin Truex, Jr.; and finally At Large: Bill Auberlen and
Scott Speed.

At Large may be the most confusing category to you the reader, but
Auberlen raced in two different series and won championships in both,
while Speed race in two European Formula Renault 2000 series and
won them both.

So that explains this vote.

Oh, and by the way, can you think of a more fitting name on
an All America Racing Team ballot than Speed?